Failed Bokeh?...

~Bokeh~

Say, what!? Bokeh is a photography term. Simply put it is the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. I've always seen these neat pictures that have different shaped bokeh and have always wanted to try it. Only problem was that I didn't (and don't...yet) have a lens with a high enough aperture, but I wanted to to try heart shaped ones anyhow:

Eh, I got a few hearts out of it, but if you ever want to give it a try get the right lens first and save the frustration ;)  So I ditched the heart shaped idea for now and stuck with boring circular ones. Using colorful christmas lights, a low flash unit, lots of tape, and a few googled tricks I managed to get the results below!

 Not my favorite, but I had to edit it with just red for Valentine's Day ;)

I took these pictures in the dark so it was after the fact when I was editing that I noticed the large man's face on the left curve of the heart! Oops...

The last one if my favorite. It contains three things I love: photography, reading, and the color purple.

Do you have a favorite?

I have such fun taking still life's- they may fall over, but not once do I hear a complaint! So rewarding. 

(:

Moore State Park

A couple weeks ago I was asked to tag along on a hike that I was told I would need my camera for. I brought the bare necessities- my camera and a zoom lens, and man, do I wish I had brought my tripod! Small, yet beautiful waterfalls graced the scenery on a very grey, overcast day. The lack of tripod and slow shutter speed set me up for soft and out of focus pictures, but I managed to get a few OK ones by bracing myself on trees and whatever else possible! I'm hoping to go back there again better prepared and on a less grey day!

I slid down a very slippery bank and nearly into the water for this one :) 

Love those pictures I really have to work for!

So theres a few pictures from Moore State Park! I'd been there once before a looong time ago so it was nice to be brought back there. Definitely a keeper for going back to in the different seasons (I've heard the Rhododendrons really are a breathtaking scene in the spring and summer)!